Forgive and Forget
by silverfae
Summary: Phoenix forgets an important occasion he promised to remember, and Miles is disappointed and hurt. Larry remains, as ever, the Butz. Kid!fluff, oneshot, P/E.


Inspired by a prompt on the kink meme, in which an anon forgets someone's birthday and wants to see the same situation happen to P/E or K/A, after which they make up. Reviews appreciated! Enjoy.

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><p><strong>Forgive and Forget<strong>

Miles Edgeworth fumed quietly.

A flash of blue out of the corner of his eye warned him that the object of his anger was approaching his desk. No, he decided suddenly, turning away pointedly to look out the window and propping his chin on one hand. It wasn't quite anger - it was much closer to that expression that made him feel like shriveling up under a rock whenever he saw it on his father's face. Disappointment, that was it.

He was disappointed with one Phoenix Wright.

All right, Miles allowed, silently thinking it over; disappointed and angry. They both applied.

"Hey, Miles, what are you doing? Let's go eat!" Phoenix had rounded the now-empty desks next to him, their occupants long since gone to take advantage of their period of freedom. Still staring out the window, Miles could see the first few waves sweeping over the school grounds, diffusing into little pockets here and there, chattering away in their cliques. The three of them would probably be down there, if not for _that_.

"Yeah, Edgey, let's go already," Larry moaned, flopping bonelessly down on the vacated seat beside him. "My stomach's going to eat my intensitinies soon."

Quashing the desire to correct that atrocious word and object to the stupidity of the idea that stomachs could eat intestines (that wasn't possible, was it?), Miles pressed his lips together and glared unwaveringly out the window. He wasn't going anywhere with _him_.

Especially since he had completely forgotten a promise and didn't seem to realise it at all.

"Larry, it's intestines, not intensitinies." Miles gritted his teeth at the voice, but continued his study of the migration flow patterns down below. "Miles?" A tug on his sleeve which he shrugged off irritably. "Miles, what's wrong? Are you feeling okay?"

A spiky-haired face (the hair didn't look natural, but was, just like those ridiculous eyebrows - they had spent days teasing him about it before he let them feel and subsequently mess up the former) intruded on his line of sight, concerned expression evident. He fought down the urge to push him away because violence wasn't the answer, but remained stonily silent. There was no way he was going to give in first when Phoe - no, Wright (yes, that sounded suitably distant) was in the wrong.

So in the wrong that even his name couldn't save him now.

"Miles?" Again the annoying tug. The face moved in closer, blocking his view of a curious little gravitation effect to one feature of the playground. Miles huffed and crossed his arms, then looked up. Not because he wanted to, mind you, but there was really nothing else to stare at that wouldn't compromise his dignity. So instead he stared Phoenix Wright full in the face, arranging his features in an expression that was suitably severe.

"Uh." Ph- Wright (he had to remember he was still angry and disappointed, and it wouldn't do to be familiar) looked nonplussed. As he kept staring, the blue-shirted boy scratched his head, then tried again. "Uh, Miles, are you.. constipitated?"

Miles blinked in surprise, then snapped, "No, and it's constipated, not constipitated," before he could stop himself. Wright grinned at the outburst, obviously relieved, while Larry butted in with a "He finally speaks!" Now annoyed with himself, Miles thinned his lips again and glared daggers.

"Look, I can't read your mind or anything like that," Wright said uncomfortably after enduring a brief barrage of sharp pointy looks. Over at the next table, Larry had opened his lunchbox after apparently assessing the situation and was noisily chomping away. Miles found the noise distracting, especially since his own stomach was protesting the delay. "Are you mad at me?"

He relented and sighed, still frowning. Phoenix seemed honestly clueless, so the silent treatment might not have been the best game plan. "You really don't remember?" he accused, a twinge of hurt piercing his anger for the first time.

It must have shown in his face, because Phoenix's went blank for a moment before those ridiculous eyebrows drew down and his nose scrunched up in what Miles recognised as an "oh man, I messed up big this time" expression. He looked like a kicked puppy, and Miles almost felt bad for him until he realised that he was supposed to be mad about the whole thing. Friends didn't break promises to each other like that, and forgiving him so quickly was definitely out of the question.

"I'm so sorry, Miles," the words tumbled over each other in Phoenix's haste to apologise. "What did I forget that made you so mad? I promise I'll make up to you, I really do."

Miles could feel his anger and disappointment and hurt flaring at the mention of that word, until they nearly choked in his throat. Swallowing hard, he said, tightly, accusingly, "You already broke one promise, what makes you think I'll believe you? You don't have a single clue what the first one was about, do you?"

Wright cringed visibly and ran a hand through his hair, mussing up his beloved spikes. "I..." Next to them, Larry smacked his lips obliviously as he ate, making both of them wince. The black-haired boy forged on. "I'm sorry, I really am, I-" His eyes widened suddenly. "Oh man. Miles, it was your birthday on Sunday, right?"

The only response he dignified that with was a sniff, though part of the hurt lifted from his throat and dissolved. It was late, but at least he remembered. It was something. Quietly expectant, he raised an eyebrow at Phoenix and waited.

"Happy belated birthday, Miles." Phoenix looked relieved, conflicted, and uncomfortable all at the same time, his face still slightly creased in that "I messed up big" expression. "Uh, hold on, let me see..." He dashed back to his seat and began to rummage around in his bag, even as Larry finished his lunch and burped shamelessly.

"Hey, it was your birthday?"

"Yes," he said simply, turning back to watch Phoenix turn out the contents of his bag in search of something. "On Sunday."

"Happy lated birthday, dude."

"Thanks." He found he didn't care quite as much.

"Here." Phoenix had returned, clutching a small plastic-wrapped box of chocolate candy which he sheepishly held out to Miles. "My mum bought it for me the other day, but I don't really like chocolate, so..." His voice trailed off.

Miles knew that Phoenix adored candy, especially the kind he was holding out right now, but he also knew a peace offering when he saw one. "Thanks," he repeated solemnly, accepting the box. Then, tentatively, finding his anger and disappointment and hurt being replaced by the slow swell of contentment, he offered his own peace. "Want to have some?"

Phoenix lit up instantly, his usual goofy grin spreading across his face to wipe out all traces of the downcast expression from just a few minutes ago. "Sure!"

"Edgey, can I have some too?" Larry chimed in, leaning back in the chair to stretch out his hand. Miles stared at him wordlessly, which seemed to make him reconsider. "Please?" the brown-haired boy added.

He gave in to the tearfully pleading eyes after half the box had been demolished. Miles wasn't sure if he could have stood to have his desk soaked in tears.

-x-

"I promised I would remember your birthday, didn't I?" Phoenix murmured, the warmth of his body snug against his. "I don't go back on my promises."

"You forgot the first time," Miles said neutrally, though a smile tugged at the corner of his lips. "I was so disappointed. And angry."

"Yeah, and I felt like crap," the dark-haired attorney admitted, nuzzling the crook of his lover's neck. "I didn't even know why you were mad at me at first, and when I realised... Hoo boy. I was amazed all the glaring didn't cut me to pieces there and then. And so glad that I had that chocolate with me."

"I'm not so easily bought off now, I'll have you know."

"I wrote you a happy birthday letter every year you were away, you know."

Miles stiffened slightly, then relaxed with some effort. "You did? How disappointing, I was hoping you would owe me a huge debt for all of those. I was quite looking forward to collecting on them."

Smirking, Phoenix began to trail light kisses along the prosecutor's jawline. "Since you're such an unforgiving sort... I suppose you can call in those favours any time."

"I'll be sure to keep that in mind."


End file.
